


Leg Room

by Penguin



Category: Hikaru no Go
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-04
Updated: 2015-03-04
Packaged: 2018-03-16 09:17:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3482786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Penguin/pseuds/Penguin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Please tell me something, Shindou. Why are you always kicking me under the table?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Leg Room

"Please tell me something, Shindou. Why are you always kicking me under the table?"

Akira notices the whiny note in his own voice and wonders what's wrong with him. For several days now he's been really on edge, touchy, impatient and fidgety, unable to focus properly on anything. It's probably the weather – hot and sticky and in need of a good thunderstorm to break it up. But the Go salon is nice and cool – so why isn't he? 

"I'm not kicking you!" Shindou's voice seems too loud, as so often.

"Yes, you are. All the time."

"Am not!"

Akira takes a deep breath and exhales slowly. Why do they always get stuck in these endless "did not, did too" loops whenever they meet at the Go salon? It's like they revert into twelve year olds the second they walk through the door.

_We have precious little time together as it is and I don't want to waste it arguing. Being with him is more important than anything else._

Akira blinks, startled at voicing this so clearly in his mind. It's been obvious to him for a long time – perhaps always, ever since he first met Shindou here at the Go salon – that spending time with his rival, this careless, brilliant, intriguing boy who is seated across from him, is the most important thing in his life. So why are they wasting their time arguing over stupid things? 

"Shindou." Akira's voice is soft now and his eyes take in the other boy's face with affection. "You keep stretching your legs under the table. Your feet are under my chair."

"I need leg room!" Shindou complains. "I _need_ to stretch! Have you any idea how many hours a week we spend in seiza?"

Keeping still has never been Shindou's strong point and Akira has to laugh. The other boy looks up in surprise, and for a long moment, time seems to hold its breath while Akira stares at the pretty face in front of him. It's like he's never seen Shindou before, not properly. So he stares into those intense eyes, holds their gaze, and holds it... until Shindou looks thoroughly confused and bends his head over the Go board. But not before Akira's seen how very pink his face is.

Apparently this is a day for revelations. Akira's heart is beating in his throat. He always knew he was addicted to Shindou's Go and to their games together, games that are always interesting and sometimes purely brilliant, but now he suddenly realises he's every bit as addicted to Shindou himself. 

Staring at the bowed head in front of him, he wonders what it would be like to stretch out a hand and run his fingers through that ridiculous bleached fringe, what it would be like to turn the blushing face towards his own and...

Then he feels his foot caught gently between both Shindou's. 

"I'm not kicking you," Shindou murmurs with a hint of a smile in his voice. "I need leg room... and I need an excuse."

"An excuse for what?" The words come out in a hoarse whisper and Akira feels silly.

Shindou lifts his face, still blushing, still with that hint of a smile. "For touching you."

Trust Shindou Hikaru to be alarmingly straight-forward once he's made up his mind about something! Akira's own face is painfully hot now and he can't think what to say or do – well, actually he can think of quite a few things to do, but... 

"Want to get out of here?" Shindou suggests softly.

This is a new game, one Akira can't read through to the end, but given a little time, he can probably come up with a few good moves. So he nods and gets all hot and shaky and nervous as he sees Shindou's answering grin.

The Go salon is still cool as the boys tidy up their Go stones. Touya Akira is not, and neither is Shindou's hand, carefully accidentally touching his own as they leave.


End file.
